The Mental Health Landscape For Our Young People

Research shows that children, teenagers and young adults are facing significant social and mental health challenges in the current PSHE environment, especially since the C-19 Pandemic.

There are currently 5 times Wembley Stadiums filled with children on the CAMHS waiting list.

1 in 8 children have a diagnosable mental health disorder, that's approximately three children in every classroom.

1 in 6 young people aged 16-24 has symptoms of a common mental disorder such as depression or an anxiety disorder. 

Half of all mental health problems manifest by the age of 14, with 75% by the age of 24.

Nearly half of 17-19 year olds with a diagnosable mental health disorder has self-harmed or attempted suicide at some point, rising to 52.7% for young women.

In 2017, suicide was the most common cause of death for both boys (16.2% of all deaths) and girls (13.3%) aged between 5 and 19, and a report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows a 15% increase in the number of teenagers taking their own lives in the last year alone, and 67% since 2010. 

(Sources : Youngminds.org, ONS & NHS Digital)

Along with understanding the neuroscience and development of the teenage brain, it is a tricky time for parents, educators and students to listen or be heard and for children, teenagers and young people to feel the freedom to speak openly and freely.

What we do know is that teenagers and young adults are drawn to a herd mentality and peer admiration culture. 

Mental wellbeing is at the forefront of our focus, especially at a time when we are so disconnected and lonely - whilst being more connected than ever in the history of human evolution.

BULLYING, ABUSE, SELF ESTEEM, EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE, ANXIETY & SPECIAL NEEDS, 

Children as young as 5 are being written off by the system as 'un manageable'. From a mental health aspect, the lack of expertise and provision for children with special needs, behavioural issues or under 16's in general, which is on the increase - is putting our children and the system in crisis.

1 in 5 children have dyslexia, that's 20% of an average classroom .

Experts and parents are seeing children with huge potential and value, falling through the holes of a system which is failing them at such a young age...'Imagine' a world without John Lennon, Churchill Einstein, Branson or Picasso, all of whom were dyslexic.

GP's are inundated with cases and at bursting point due to a lack of support for this age group. The repercussions of these failings are catastrophic.

In a YoungMinds survey, three-quarters (76%) of parents said that their child's mental health had deteriorated while waiting for support from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

In total, less than 1% of the total NHS budget is spent on children and young people's mental health services and the number of A&E attendances by young people aged 18 or under with a recorded diagnosis of a psychiatric condition has almost tripled since 2010. (Youngminds.org)

Department of Education figures show that almost 25,000 children aged seven or under were temporarily excluded from primary school in 2015/16. 

More than 15,000 fixed-period exclusions in primary school were for physical assault against an adult. The average length of a fixed suspension was 2.2 days.

(DofE -. 2017)

DRUGS, ALCOHOL, SELF ESTEEM, ABUSE, SELF HARM, BULLYING & ANXIETY, EXPULSIONS, SUICIDES, SEXUAL INTELLIGENCE, HEALTH & RELATIONSHIPS  

Research shows that we are losing a huge amount of gifted children who are are 'curious of life' and once on the teenage social circuit ,explore the boundaries on many levels. 

57.2% of kids have tried vaping although only 3.4% class themselves as current vapers- most don't realise it contains nicotine.

6% of 11 yr olds have tried drugs

A recent NHS report surveyed 14,000 11-15 year olds. 13% of children from affluent areas had drunk in the week before being surveyed. 1 in 4 of those from high affluence had ever taken drugs. (August 2019) 

50% of 14,000 11-15 year olds who had recently drunk, smoked or taken drugs were unhappy.(August 2019) 

555 of 15 yr olds were offered drugs in the last year - 37% tried them.

According to a Global Drugs Survey - Nors is one of the most popular recreational drugs - carrying a 7 yr prison sentence and is an illegal psychoative substance. 14-24 yrs are main users.

Class A drug use among 16 to 24 year olds has been increasing since 2011/12.
56% of Uni Students have tried Drugs . (NHS PHE Survey Data, NHS Digital & MORI)

If we look at recent reports around teenagers vaping, smoking, drug and alcohol usage at festivals, social gatherings, parties and during school time - this can have a detrimental effect on their education. 

In some instances, once caught - many schools fear dealing with, or admitting to -  having pupils under their school banner, as having an issue and often would prefer for it to go away quietly - by asking a pupil to leave - or not admitting an incident ever happened.

However, acting from a place of fear or choosing not to admit there is an issue - by making it someone else's problem (ie the parents or passing them onto another school) - punishment or expulsion, isn't the answer. 

The Department of Education figures show a 15% rise in the numbers of pupils expelled from state schools between 2015 -2017. That's 40 pupils expelled per day, with 83% of exclusions occurred in secondary schools.

Children with a recognised special educational need account for around half of all expulsions. In the state sector Head Teachers blame cuts to mental health and behaviour programmes.

'Punishment teaches kids how to avoid getting caught and is not the answer' 

Dr Steve Peters. Author of The Chimp Paradox

What does work in most cases is striking an internal, emotional chord with teenagers. This has more impact than turning them away or expelling them at a time when they need support the most.

There is a way of being the authority, without being the authoritarian. 

We strive to achieve an equilibrium and mutual respect all round between engaging the students, schools and parents by all working together.

ADDICTION, ANXIETY, DEBT, LONELINESS, RAPE & SUICIDE, SEXUAL INTELLIGENCE, HEALTH & RELATIONSHIPS  

University life these days exposes our young adults to drugs & alcohol, rape scandals, loneliness, suicides and debt. These all contribute to health & mental well being issues which now affects many young adults. 

Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency revealed a 210% increase in the number of students who left university as a result of mental health issues between 2010 and 2015. 

A 2018 study by the Office for National Statistics found that young people aged 16-24 felt lonely more often than any other age group of adults.

The health impacts of loneliness have also been under scrutiny – studies have shown that people who are lonely are 50% more likely to die before their time, with research suggesting loneliness is as dangerous to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and more hazardous than being obese.(OSN)

Whilst academic intelligence is a requirement for gaining places at Universities - more and more cases are proving that there is a lack of emotional intelligence and life skills in young adults at University level. 

We are here to assist and equip young adults with social and emotional development - moral strength and a tool kit for life, to enable them to enter their careers being the very best versions of themselves - therefore growing tomorrow's resilient global citizens.

ADDICTION, ANXIETY, DEBT, LONELINESS, RAPE, SUICIDE, GAMBLING, BULLYING, PEER PRESSURE, SEXUAL INTELLIGENCE, HEALTH & RELATIONSHIPS, PORNOGRAPHY

Inspirational leadership and moral fibre is lacking in today's society. Our political system, justice system and education systems are broken. Corporate cultures, ethics and ethos appear to be all about statistics and not the people. 

If Governments, corporates and institutions focused on and invested in the people - the statistics would improve, however, by focussing on and not investing in people- we lose the people; their commitment, focus, inspiration, creativity and energy for life.

Our environment is damaged and the disconnect in society is unravelling at such speed that as parents and educators it is hard to keep up - especially with social media and the unrealistic world of celebrity influencing our children.

How can we expect our teenagers and young people to keep up with the pressures put upon them today?

So, who do our teenagers and young people have to look up to - to make them feel valued or give them a voice?  This is the basis for our Peer Lead Programmes.

Sir David Attenborough said 'Few people will protect the natural world - if they don't first love and understand it.'  

We need to create an unprecedented global understanding, community and awareness, based on the very same ethos of love, understanding and support.

1in 3 adult mental health conditions relate directly to adverse childhood      experiences, and adults who experienced four or more adversities in their childhood are four times more likely to have low levels of mental wellbeing and life satisfaction. (Youngminds.org)

At Evolve we are determined to tap into everyone's potential and help support every individual's purpose and vision for their life journey.  

'To be whole first - allow yourself to be broken' Lao tzu 

At Evolve we have a great team of industry experts and a wider network of CEO's,Corporates, Educationalists, Philanthropists, Community Leaders and Professional Facilitators  - all whom share our vision for supporting our young people and moving humanity on. 

'If the solutions within the system are so impossible to find, then maybe we should change the system itself...We are running out of time'. Greta Thunberg. 

Evolve Generation is creating a platform for student empowerment, better education and life outcomes.